Pretty Amazing Grace {Ryan Blaney || Sequel to Sweet Caroline} ✔️

eight

hi pals! i just wanted to point out and make sure everybody realizes that chapters 2-8 are all the same day!

but don't worry — after this chapter things will start to move faster!
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"Are you sure you don't want me to stay?" Chase leaned over, tying his shoes. "We could have a few beers and just hang out."

Ryan shrugged. He didn't really want to be alone but he had already taken up so much of Chase's time that he felt like a complete burden already and having him stay would probably make it worse.

"Go home, it's alright. I'm just going to bed." That was probably a lie but he didn't want Chase to stay here while he wallowed in all of his feelings.

"Alright. If you need me, call me."  Ryan watched as Chase let himself out of the house. Ryan wandered over to the pictures on the wall, his heart sinking at the ones of the three of them.

They were so happy, and that was all gone.

Ryan turned away, the guilt making it hard to breathe. Ryan couldn't remember a time where guilt consumed him like it was now. He knew that he had fucked up, that he had been rash but when Lydia drove away from him, something inside of him broke and all he could think about was making sure he saw Caroline again.

But his tunnel vision had potentially cost him, and if he could do it all over again, he would've focused more on making sure that they were okay. If he had had any idea what had happened, he would have protected them. He could have protected them from Lydia's ex.

But he can't do it all over again and now? Now Lydia will barely look at him, much less talk to him. Ryan knew that he probably deserved it but it was a little exasperating. Actually, it was a lot exasperating.

Ryan wanted to work on moving forward but he couldn't if Lydia was unwilling.

He just desperately hoped that this wasn't the end of them. He had no idea if he would ever be able to just co-parent with Lydia. No, they were too far past that. He was too far in love with her to just be a co-parent.

Ryan's phone buzzed in his pocket. He grabbed it quickly, in case it was Lydia. Instead, it was his mother.

"Hello?" Ryan answered.

"Is everything okay?" There was a slight panic in his mother's voice. Ryan realized that he had never told her where he was going. He knew that he was a grown man but he knew that she was worried about him.

"Yeah." Ryan squeezed his eyes shut for a minute, trying to figure out what he wanted to tell his mom about his current situation. "I'm not coming home tonight."

"Ryan." Her voice was disappointed. "You don't need to be rash. You're going to regret this."

"I'm staying with Caroline tonight. Lydia had to have her appendix taken out." Ryan decided to skip the part where he ignored Lydia's calls for half an hour while he drank -- that was not his finest moment but he felt guilty nonetheless and he really didn't need to hear it from his mom.

"I knew she looked sick." His mom clicked her tongue. "Did you get a chance to talk anything over with Lydia?"

Ryan let out a little chuckle. "Not exactly. I'm picking her up tomorrow so maybe we'll have a little time to talk tomorrow but Caroline..." Ryan chewed on his lip for a moment.

"I could take her out for a while?" His Mom offered quickly. "Or would that be overstepping? But that would give you guys a little time to talk and I can take her out to do something fun?"

"Let me talk to Lydia and I'll let you know, okay? I'll call you right back." Ryan hung up, quickly dialing Lydia's number.

"Hello?" Ryan winced at the grogginess of her voice, he had woken her up. "Is Caroline okay?" There was a small bit of panic in her voice.

"Yeah. I didn't mean to wake you. My mom was wondering if she could take Caroline for the day and I wanted to run it past you?" Ryan leaned against the wall.

"She doesn't have to." Lydia murmured. "I'm assuming she knows?" The last part was a whisper.

Ryan wasn't exactly sure what she was referring to but he hadn't told his mom much past that Stacy had blackmailed her. "She doesn't know anything besides the bare basics."

There was a pause. "Okay. Yeah, I'm sure Caroline would love to spend time with your mom. Thank her for me."

"Will do. Have a good night." Ryan wanted to say more but he knew that he shouldn't push.

"The nurse says I'll be discharged at eleven am. Could you bring me a change of clothes? Caroline knows where everything is." Ryan couldn't help but smile, maybe this was a little peace offering, a little sign that she wanted to talk tomorrow.

"I'll be there." Ryan hung up the phone, shooting his mom a text letting her know that it was alright if she took Caroline for the day, giving her a time to pick her up so he'd have enough time to get to the hospital.

Nerves twisted in his stomach. He had no idea how picking up Lydia was going to go -- if she was going to be receptive to talking. Hell, Ryan had no clue what he was going to say past an apology.

The truth of the matter was that Ryan had no idea what to say to Lydia or how to fix any of this. And if Lydia was going to put her walls up, he was never going to get anywhere.

Dejection washed over Ryan. In the pit of his stomach, there was a sinking feeling that there was nothing he could do to undo the damage that had been done -- Stacy had won. She had broken them apart.

Ryan hated that thought. It made him sick to his stomach to think of the satisfaction that she probably had over this whole situation.

Determination replaced the dejection. Stacy couldn't win. No, there was no way that he was going to let Stacy have the satisfaction of knowing that she had won.

Ryan had no idea how he was going to do it but he was going to fix things with Lydia. They had to.

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